Economic and Environmental Role of Wetlands

Interview with Nick Davidson, Ramsar Convention’s Deputy Secretary General at CBD, COP11. The key role that rapidly diminishing wetlands play in supporting human life and biodiversity needs to be recognized and integrated into decision-making as a vital component of the transition to a resource-efficient, sustainable world economy, according to a new TEEB report released today.

Kenya unveils new plans to tackle rising problem of e-waste

Inclusive Green Economy Key to Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication

Tine Sundtoft, Minister of the Climate and Environment of Norway, Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director, and UNDP Administrator Helen Clark speaking during the announcement of UNDP joining the Partnership for Action on Green Economy

Nairobi, 26 June 2014 - The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today joined the UN-led partnership on green economy at an event held during the first United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), bringing new resources and opportunities to countries interested in shifting towards more inclusive, low-carbon, resource-efficient models of growth.

The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) was launched last year by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). PAGE aims to support 30 countries over the next six years in inclusive green economy transitions that will generate new jobs and skills, promote clean technologies, and reduce environmental risks and poverty.

"It is clear that growth and prosperity can, and indeed must, be achieved within the safe operating space of a resource-constrained world," said Achim Steiner, United Nations Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of UNEP, speaking on behalf of the founding PAGE partners. "PAGE is one key route to such a sustainable model for the future, and the inclusion of UNDP, with its extensive expertise and knowledge base, as a full partner offers countries new opportunities to develop their green economy policies and capacity."

Specifically, the agreement with UNDP will enhance PAGE's efforts to support country-owned inclusive green economy transitions. Those transitions include longer-term programmatic mainstreaming and capacity development approaches to help eradicate poverty and reduce inequalities; expanded engagement with key government, private and civil society stakeholders; and additional options for joint programmes, leveraging of innovative financing, and South-South knowledge sharing and learning.

"UNDP is proud to join the global PAGE initiative which, through its expertise and resources, assists countries in shifting towards inclusive green economies," said UNDP Administrator Helen Clark. "With its on-the-ground presence in more than 170 countries and territories, UNDP is well-positioned to link its programmes on environment, as well as on poverty eradication, gender and governance, to ensure PAGE achieves its desired impact."

PAGE is a response to the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20): The Future We Want. It recognizes the green economy as a vehicle for sustainable development and poverty eradication.

Governments at Rio+20 called on UN agencies to support countries interested in accelerating their transition to an inclusive green economy, in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication.

UNEA is the highest-level UN body ever convened on the environment. It enjoys universal membership of all 193 UN member states as well as other stakeholder groups. With this wide reach into the legislative, financial and development arenas, the new body presents a ground-breaking platform for leadership on global environmental policy. UNEA boasts over 1200 participants, 170 national delegations, 80 ministers and 40 events during the five-day event from 23 to 27 June 2014 at UNEP's Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. www.unep.org/unea